This invention relates to pole climbing and safety devices for climbing poles such as utility poles or trees.
Pole climbing and safety devices which assist climbers to climb poles have been known for many years, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,468 (Greenway) issued May 31, 1988, the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Such devices usually include handles gripped by the climber, attachment points to which a harness worn by the climber is attachable and pole engaging members which engage the pole to prevent the device from sliding down the pole.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive pole climbing and safety device which has the features mentioned above.
According to the invention, a pole climbing and safety device has a flexible strap which in use is passed around the pole on the opposite side thereof to a climber, and a pair of handles each adjacent a respective opposite end of the strap and grippable by the climber""s hands. Each handle is pivotally connected to the respective opposite end of the strap for pivotal movement relative thereto about an upright axis. A pair of harness attachment arms each adjacent an opposite end of the strap are provided to which left and right harness members of the harness worn by the climber are respectively attached when in use. Each harness attachment arm is pivotally connected to the respective adjacent end of the strap for pivotal movement relative to the strap and to the adjacent handle about the same upright pivotal axis. Each harness attachment arm is located laterally inwardly of the adjacent handle when the device is in use on a pole. Each harness attachment arm attachment arm carries a pole engaging member between said upright axis and the respective harness attachment which engages the pole when in use to prevent the device from sliding down the pole.
The handle may have a laterally inwardly open recess which receives the pole engaging member.
The handle and harness attachment arm at each end of the strap may be secured thereto by a pin to which the handle and harness attachment arm are attached and which extends through a loop in the adjacent end of the strap, the pin providing the upright pivotal axis.